What a shock it was the day Colin Kaepernick decided to kneel during the national anthem.

It may have been the most shocking statement made in sports since the American sprinters raised their clenched fists skyward during the medal presentation at the 1968 Olympic Games.

The NFL can say what it wants, but Kaepernick was from that moment on treated like a leper or convicted felon. Unwelcome and no longer tolerable.

Did he not realize that he was a current day slave still? The only difference was the wage scale for picking cotton versus throwing a football.

Although having recently led his team to the NFC Championship, his career was abruptly ended for what most fans and, perhaps, Americans viewed as being unpatriotic.

Was his timing bad? Did he choose the wrong way to express the emotions he was feeling? Never having walked in his shoes, we can’t really give those questions fair consideration.

That was 2016 and people were outraged by his actions. He certainly struck a chord that reverberated throughout the league. It systematically ended his very promising career as not a single team has been willing to hire him for his services since he took the knee.

His own team issued a statement immediately following the first incident that stated it was within his rights to participate or not participate with the normal protocol for the national anthem.

We as Americans reacted in a manner that implied we were still not ready as a nation to have a person of color protest against something we suddenly held as important as a song that celebrated war victories. To some, kneeling is one of the most respectful and religious things you might do. But in the manly world of sports, it instead was considered a sign of weakness and lack of honor.

It may be too late for Kaepernick’s career, but it seems like the world is waking up with a new attitude about what he did and why he did it.

Maybe his physical appearance with a 1960s Afro hairstyle added to fans being blinded to his cause. His tattoos could have helped label him as a troublemaker, too.

Only a dozen or so other NFL players supported him in 2016. Today, many teams and Steelers coach Mike Tomlin have come out and said they will support players who choose to do peaceful types of social protests, including kneeling, during the anthem.

Maybe we are on the verge of ending social disparity based on racism. Maybe we are just in shock from the recent incidents of police brutality against black men.

One thing is certain — whether you liked him four years ago, the country’s vision and opinion of him has changed. He shocked the NFL and its fans and no one seemed to see or understand what he was doing. It is clear now and after the events of this spring and summer, the world will never be the same again. So, choose to stand, chose to sing along (unless you are in a church) or take a knee, but do it with intent.

We are grateful that Colin Kaepernick sacrificed his career for what he believed in. He isn’t a war hero and won’t be confused with those who gave their lives in battle for this country, but he nonetheless made a personal sacrifice that has improved this country.